COVID safety information.
COVID presents a substantial and ongoing danger to the health and wellbeing of our staff, students, and community. It is important that staff and students monitor their health closely and be vigilant for symptoms of COVID, as many symptoms can present as other illnesses (including a cold, influenza, gastro, or allergies).
Symptoms to look for can include, but are not limited to:
Fever, aches, and chills
Sore or scratchy throat
A persistent, productive, or dry cough
A runny nose or excess mucus production
Stomach upset, vomiting, or diarrhoea
Tinnitus, loss of smell or taste, dizziness, or fatigue
Chest pains or irregular heartbeat
Difficulty breathing
Preventing infection spread.
COVID is most effectively spread via inhalation. The amount of virus you inhale via your mouth and nose can impact the chance and severity of infection. To help reduce your chances of infection, be sure to do the following wherever possible:
Increase ventilation. Doors and windows in classrooms and shared working spaces should be kept open wherever possible to ensure fresh air is brought into confined spaces. COVID is airborne, and can linger in the air like smoke even after a COVID-positive person has left; increasing airflow in teaching and communal spaces will help reduce the amount of COVID in the air.
Use air purifiers. All classrooms and communcal spaces in the school have Samsung air purifiers that can filter not just airborne virus particles from the air (including COVID, influenze, and the common cold), but allergens such as dust, pollen, and pet dander. Purifiers should always be on when a room is in use, and set to the highest setting to ensure they are completing an effective room air replacement cycle. If a purifier in your classroom is malfunctioning, or requires a filter change, please contact the Facilities Manager.
Wear a high-quality face mask. COVID is airborne, and wearing a mask that filters the air you breathe is important for reducing both your likelihood of being infected, and reducing the chances of you transmitting an infection to someone else. It is recommended that all staff and students wear a face mask when indoors, when airflow is limited, and when in close proximity to others. The most effective masks to wear are those which are rated N95 or higher, and form a tight seal around your mouth and nose.
More information about preventing the spread of COVID can be found here on the WHO website.
It is recommended that all staff and students wear a face mask when indoors, when airflow is limited, and when in close proximity to others. The most effective masks to wear are those which are rated N95 or higher, and form a tight seal around your mouth and nose.
The following settings, based on advice from the Department of Health, will apply from 11.59pm Wednesday 12 October 2022.
It is strongly recommended that students:
who test positive to COVID-19 stay home and isolate for 5 days
should not attend school after 5 days if still symptomatic
who are symptomatic but have not tested positive should not attend school
advise the school of the COVID-19 positive test result
Where students become symptomatic at school they should:
be collected by their parents/carers
undergo testing for COVID-19
It is strongly recommended that staff:
who test positive to COVID-19 stay home and isolate for 5 days
should not attend after 5 days if still symptomatic
who are symptomatic but have not tested positive should not attend school
report their positive test result to the school and through eduPay
Leave entitlements to support staff with COVID-19 to isolate:
Staff who test positive to COVID-19 will be able to access 5 days paid special leave without a medical certificate in addition to personal leave. To access this leave, staff should report their positive test result in eduPay. Staff who are unfit to return to work and who have accessed 5 days paid special leave can access personal leave for the duration of the time they are unfit for work in accordance with normal personal leave requirements.
Staff who are symptomatic but have not tested positive can access personal leave for the time they are unfit for work in accordance with normal personal leave requirements.
Reporting positive COVID-19 test results:
The Department of Health recommends that a person who tests positive for COVID-19 should inform those with whom they have recently been in contact, including their workplace, schools and household.
Parents and carers will therefore be asked to continue to report positive student COVID-19 cases using the VicED COVID Tool.
Where a parent/carer informs the school by phone or written notification, the school should complete the Schools COVID Case Management Tool.
Staff should report their positive COVID-19 test result via eduPay. Staff who wish to apply for up to 5 days paid special leave should do so through eduPay.
COVID-19 vaccination changes:
The current mandatory vaccination requirement for staff and visitors, contractors and volunteers working in specialist schools will cease to apply from 11.59pm Wednesday 12 October. COVID-19 vaccination, including booster doses, continues to be strongly recommended for all school staff.
The Department of Health recommends that masks should be worn by a person who is a close contact of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 when leaving home.
Additionally, the Department of Health recommends that masks should be worn by a person who has COVID-19, for at least 7 days after a positive test, when they need to leave home.
Evacuation procedure.
In the event of a fire an evacuation may be required. Please read the following instructions carefully.
SIGNAL: A siren will alert the school that a full evacuation is to take place and an announcement will be made to evacuate.
UPON HEARING THE SIGNAL TO EVACUATE STUDENTS MUST:
Leave all belongings and make their way to the nearest exit
Head to the assembly point via the marked evacuation routes and line up in form groups 9A - 12J
Wait quietly in form group lines for roll marking. Students must remain quiet and orderly and stay in form groups for the duration of the evacuation.
Listen to and follow any directions given to you by your form teacher / Principal
All staff and students must remain at the evacuation point until given the all clear by the Principal.
Please Note: Teachers have a duty of care for their students. Students must listen to and follow teacher instructions at all times to ensure the safety of themselves and others.
MacRob - Evacuation Map - 2021 (V1).pdfSchool lockdown procedure.
A school lockdown requires staff and students to remain in classrooms. A lockdown may be signalled when there is a danger or threat outside the school or within the school grounds. A lockdown may be triggered when there is a chemical spill on Kings Way, or if there is an intruder in the building or grounds. A lockdown may be initiated by the Principal, the Police, Emergency Services or the Department of Education.
SIGNAL: An announcement over the PA of "LOCKDOWN" by the Principal or their representative.
If a school lockdown is signalled during recess or lunchtime, students and form teachers should immediately make their way to their usual form room and once there, follow normal lockdown procedures.
DURING A LOCKDOWN:
Students in a supervised classroom should not leave the room they are in for any reason.
Students who are not in a classroom with a member of staff when lockdown is signalled should immediately move to the nearest supervised classroom.
All staff outside should go to the nearest room and remain there until the end of the lockdown is announced.
All staff in the common room or their own workspaces should remain in the space with the door locked.
Students in the Year 12 common room should immediately move the nearest supervised classroom without leaving the Lakeside building.
If the door is locked, students should knock loudly and make themselves seen at a window or through the door.
During a lockdown, students should be quiet and attentive to follow instructions given by their supervising teacher.
Students should not use their mobile phones or devices unless directed to do so.
School bells should be disregarded during a lockdown
On no account should staff or students leave the room unless told it is safe to do so.
SUPERVISING TEACHERS SHOULD:
Instruct students to sit down out of sight, lock the classroom door from the outside and turn lights off.
Keep students calm, seated and away from windows.
Keep watch for any students who may need to enter the room.
Take a roll of who is present in the room and email the names of students who are absent and/or other students who have entered the room to office@macrob.vic.edu.au.
If you are not able to email, and there is access to a mobile phone, staff members will phone their absences to the office on 9864 7700.
The end of lockdown will be announced by the Principal (or Principal’s representative) over the PA system.